Also 4–5 elacion, 5 elacyoun, 5–6 elacyon, 6 elatioun. [In ME. ad. OF. elacion, ad. L. ēlātiōn-em, n. of action f. ppl. stem of efferre: see ELATE a.]

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  † 1.  (after Lat.) a. Lifting, elevation. b. Carrying out (e.g., of a dead body). Obs. rare.

2

1578.  Banister, Hist. Man, I. 25. The brest bones … yeeld to the elation and depression of the ribbes.

3

1697.  Potter, Antiq. Greece, IV. iv. (1715), 189. Its [the body’s] Elation from the House wherein it was prepar’d for Burial.

4

  2.  Elevation of mind arising from success or self-approbation, pride of prosperity; pride, vainglory.

5

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pers. T., 326. Elacion is whan he ne may neither suffre to haue maister ne felawe.

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c. 1410.  N. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., xxv. 56 (Gibbs MS.). We haue no mater of elacyoun or veyn ioye of oure selfe.

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c. 1522.  Skelton, Why not to Court, 479. He is in such elacyon Of his exaltation.

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1678.  Owen, Mind of God, viii. 231. A noysome elation of mind.

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1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 464, ¶ 3. Riches exposes a Man to … a foolish Elation of Heart.

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  † b.  concr. A proud or vain-glorious action.

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c. 1630.  Jackson, Creed, IV. II. i. Wks. 1844, III. 202. Their next elation … was to elect him for their King.

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  3.  Elevation of spirits (in neutral or good sense); buoyancy, joyousness, pleasurable self-satisfaction. (The usual current sense.)

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1750.  Johnson, Rambler, No. 184, ¶ 5. Their time is past between elation and despondency.

14

1804–8.  Foster, in Life & Corr. (1846), I. 278. These praises give me but very little Elation.

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1841.  D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 619. In the elation of youth, he astounded the … fellows of his college.

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1863.  Geo. Eliot, Romola, I. II. xxvii. (1880), 332. She saw her father … sink from elation into new disappointment.

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  b.  concr. An ‘outburst’ of high spirits. rare.

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1870.  Lowell, Among My Books, Ser. II. (1873), 243. These are the natural jets and elations of a mind energized by the rapidity of its own motion.

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  † 4.  concr. Growth. Obs. rare.

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c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., III. 859. Thai be apte unto putacion Of bowes drie or foule elacion [L. arida aut male nata].

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